Kelseyville is in northern wine country, close to Clear Lake
Kelseyville is in a valley at the base of Mount Konocti in northern California's wine country. It's south of the state's largest freshwater lake, Clear Lake. Kelseyville, a census-designated place (CDP), has a population of about 4,200, according to U.S. Census estimates. Clearlake, a city with about four times the population, is to the east. "It's a large area and has retained its rural character. You could drive a half hour and still be in Kelseyville. If you're in downtown Kelseyville proper, it's a very special little town," says Bridget King, a Realtor with Luxe Places International Realty.
In addition to vineyards, Lake County has agricultural products like fruits and nuts. "The Kelseyville area is where a lot of the farms are because it has a lot of flat land that's good for planting. Lake County had been mostly pears and walnut crops, but now it's more grapes," King says. People living in the area may work in the wine industry, for local school districts, at tourism sites like casinos and resorts or for health care facilities in Clearlake and Lakeport.
Options include bungalows and ranch-style and manufactured homes
Some of the older homes are early 20th-century Craftsman bungalows. The most common are Ranch-style homes, built from the midcentury on. There are also some newer contemporaries and traditionals. Single-family homes are about $270,000 to $660,000. Manufactured and mobile homes typically range from about $20,000 to $130,000.
Homes with panoramic lake views are sought-after. "As you expand out from Kelseyville toward the lake, there are a lot of subdivisions that have killer lake views," King says. Properties adjacent to Kelsey Creek and Cole Creek may also be appreciated for the scenery, though there is some flooding risk. Additionally, wildfire risks may make traditional home insurance difficult to obtain.
Main Street is home to an old-fashioned downtown
The walkable historical downtown shopping district is along Main Street. "The people of Kelseyville have fought really hard to keep corporations out of the town. It's all small businesses and local people," King says. Among the shops are A & H General Store, known for local goods and antiques. Kelseyville Lumber, an 80,000-square-foot home improvement superstore, has been family-owned for three generations. The store includes a restaurant, Woody's Café, Grill & Pub.
Places for groceries include Kelseyville Food Center and John's Market, which is also a taqueria. Chacewater Winery & Olive Mill on Gaddy Lane hosts events like catered dinners, Bingo nights and Fiesta Mexicana, which includes live music. Kelseyville has several medical facilities, and there are more in nearby cities.
A summer music series and annual events like the Pear Festival
Kelseyville events include the summertime Kickin' in the Country music series on Main Street. The Lake County Beer, Wine & Swine Baconfest is in June, and the Kelseyville Pear Festival is in September.
Parks and mountain hiking trails are among the recreational perks
Kelseyville Community Park on State Street includes a playground, skate park, basketball court, dog park and areas for picnicking. To the north, on the lake's south shore, Clear Lake State Park has several hiking trails and a visitor's center with an aquarium. To the east is Mount Konocti, which has more hiking trails.
Activities on Clear Lake; some consider the Kelseyville side cleaner
Fishing, boating and water sports are some popular activities on Clear Lake. The lake's south shore is about 5 miles north of downtown Kelseyville. Pollution, water contamination and foul odors have been issues at the lake, which provides drinking water to more than half of the county. Though the sewage waste system was improved a few decades ago, other problems like algae blooms still affect water quality. Projects to clean the lake, restore wetlands and control algae are ongoing. King says some people prefer the Kelseyville side of the lake to Clear Lake's side, which may have more algae. "I have some clients who have lived here for years, and they only swim on the Kelseyville side."
Highlights of the school district are language immersion and robotics
The Kelseyville Unified School District serves the area and has an enrollment of about 1,900. Schools include Riviera Elementary, which earns a C grade from Niche. Kelseyville Elementary School has a C-minus and a dual language immersion program in Spanish and English. Mountain Vista Middle School is graded C-minus and has a C-STEM Robotics team. Kelseyville High School has a B-minus and offers an agriculture mechanics program and dual enrollment through Mendocino College.
Highway 175, Aero Shuttle and the closest passenger airport
State Route 29 runs through Kelseyville, where it's also known as Highway 175. Most people drive, though Lake County Transit has bus routes that stop in Kelseyville. In addition, Aero Shuttle has a Lake County-Sacramento route that stops at Kit's Corner Store, about 8 miles southwest of downtown Kelseyville. There are some medical offices in Kelseyville, but for extensive services, Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport is about 12 miles away and Adventist Health Clear Lake hospital is about 17 miles away.
Santa Rosa is about 60 miles away, and it's about 115 miles to both San Francisco and Sacramento. The closest passenger airport, the Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa, has domestic service on Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and Avelo Airlines.
Written By
Robin Silberman
